Flight crew of an MD88 has difficulty sighting traffic to follow. When they do sight 'something' it turns out to be a C172 maneuvering. TCASII TA, then RA activates. Controller did have the traffic on radar, though no communication.

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Attributes
ACN	422763
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdl
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1900 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Navigation In Use	Other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	422763
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were looking for a B737 which we were to follow for a visual approach at bdl. We were on vectors for runway 24 and talking to approach control. We noticed something at a distance and above us. Due to the haze and overcast conditions, we couldn't determine what it was or what it was doing. As we turned to avoid a conflict, we got the TA 'traffic, traffic' immediately followed by the RA 'climb, climb...descend, descend now.' we continued our right turn and started an immediate descent to 1900 ft MSL to escape the situation. As we got closer we saw it was a C172 and he was turning and descending toward our position. The cessna appeared to be doing airwork of some sort and didn't seem to see us until we were already clear of the conflict. The RA was reported to bdl approach control who said they had him on radar but weren't talking to him. We maintained 2000 ft and were cleared the visual and landed without further conflict. Although it was VFR it was a day when it was difficult to see other aircraft. I feel the traffic should have been pointed out to us since he was seen on approach radar.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MD88 HAS DIFFICULTY SIGHTING TFC TO FOLLOW. WHEN THEY DO SIGHT 'SOMETHING' IT TURNS OUT TO BE A C172 MANEUVERING. TCASII TA, THEN RA ACTIVATES. CTLR DID HAVE THE TFC ON RADAR, THOUGH NO COM.

Narrative: WE WERE LOOKING FOR A B737 WHICH WE WERE TO FOLLOW FOR A VISUAL APCH AT BDL. WE WERE ON VECTORS FOR RWY 24 AND TALKING TO APCH CTL. WE NOTICED SOMETHING AT A DISTANCE AND ABOVE US. DUE TO THE HAZE AND OVCST CONDITIONS, WE COULDN'T DETERMINE WHAT IT WAS OR WHAT IT WAS DOING. AS WE TURNED TO AVOID A CONFLICT, WE GOT THE TA 'TFC, TFC' IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE RA 'CLB, CLB...DSND, DSND NOW.' WE CONTINUED OUR R TURN AND STARTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO 1900 FT MSL TO ESCAPE THE SIT. AS WE GOT CLOSER WE SAW IT WAS A C172 AND HE WAS TURNING AND DSNDING TOWARD OUR POS. THE CESSNA APPEARED TO BE DOING AIRWORK OF SOME SORT AND DIDN'T SEEM TO SEE US UNTIL WE WERE ALREADY CLR OF THE CONFLICT. THE RA WAS RPTED TO BDL APCH CTL WHO SAID THEY HAD HIM ON RADAR BUT WEREN'T TALKING TO HIM. WE MAINTAINED 2000 FT AND WERE CLRED THE VISUAL AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER CONFLICT. ALTHOUGH IT WAS VFR IT WAS A DAY WHEN IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE OTHER ACFT. I FEEL THE TFC SHOULD HAVE BEEN POINTED OUT TO US SINCE HE WAS SEEN ON APCH RADAR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.